A project to create artificial glaciers is being implemented in the Batken region in southern Kyrgyzstan with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO recently organized an informational event to assess the results of the artificial glacier technology implementation in the region, according to FAO Kyrgyzstan. Representatives
Afghanistan’s trade with Central Asian countries increased significantly in 2025 compared to 2024, with imports rising by 43% and exports growing by 77%, TOLOnews reported citing statistics from the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Afghanistan’s imports increased from $1.679 billion in 2024 to $2.399 billion in 2025, while exports rose from $122 million to
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi recently visited founding AIIB members Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, conveying her intent to ensure AIIB’s future direction remains grounded in country needs and strong partnerships. These visits, part of a “listening tour” Zou is undertaking since she took office in January, highlighted Central Asia’s position as
Based on recent economic consensus from institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) as of early 2026, globalization is not entirely “over,” but it is undergoing a profound structural shift. Economists generally agree that the era of hyperglobalization has stagnated—a trend accelerated by the
On February 26, London hosted a meeting of foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries and the United Kingdom under the “Central Asia + UK” (CA5+UK) framework. The ministers discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including opportunities for economic growth, expanding trade and investment cooperation, and joint efforts to strengthen regional connectivity
Brussels is concerned about the sharp increase in the deliveries of European industrial and radio equipment to Russia through Kyrgyzstan over the past year, David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s special envoy on sanctions, said at a briefing in Bishkek on February 26. In his words, this equipment is not manufactured in Kyrgyzstan, but imported from
Chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev on February 20 attended the capsule-laying ceremony marking the launch of construction of the Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory, a special legal and regulatory jurisdiction located on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. Kasymaliev emphasized that the Tamchy zone is intended to become an international financial center,
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan have launched a new project to strengthen climate‑resilient agricultural value chains and support 17,000 smallholder farmers in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan. The project is supported with $4.5 million from the government of Japan, according to WFP
President Sadyr Japarov on February 18 officially opened a cable car in the Ala-Archa State Nature Park, the first gondola cable lift in Kyrgyzstan. The Ala-Archa Nature Park is located about 30 km from Bishkek and stretches along the Ala-Archa River. The park is a popular weekend getaway for Bishkek residents and foreign tourists. The
UTK International Logistics Co. Ltd., a joint venture established in China with the participation of Uzbekistan’s Uztemiryulkonteyner JSC, has launched the first pilot container train from China to Tajikistan. This project is a practical step toward implementation of agreements aimed at deepening regional cooperation, reached by presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in Dushanbe in
The National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan has published figures of the country’s foreign trade in 2025, which amounted to $15.8 billion, a 10.2% decrease compared to 2024. Kyrgyzstan’s exports fell significantly by 44.5%, while imports increased by 3.9%. In 2025, Kyrgyzstan exported its products to Russia (22.9% of all exports), Kazakhstan (15.9%), Switzerland (15.4%), Uzbekistan
The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic has ruled that the next presidential elections in the country should take place on January 24, 2027. According to the Constitutional Court, the mandate of President Sadyr Japarov, who was elected in January 2021 under the 2010 Constitution, should be completed within the originally established six-year term. The
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov last week signed a decree establishing National Organic Agriculture Day, to be celebrated annually on the last Friday of September. The move reflects Kyrgyzstan’s aspiration to strengthen its position as a leading producer of organic agricultural products in the region. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry,
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting the modernisation of public transport in Kyrgyzstan through the introduction of 95 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in Bishkek, improving comfort, accessibility and environmental performance across the city. This is the second phase of the Bank’s bus acquisition project in Bishkek, which
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov says that by his decision to dismiss Kamchybek Tashiev from the posts of a Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of the State Committee for National Security, he saved his friend and prevented a split in the country. On February 10, Japarov unexpectedly dismissed Tashiev—his political partner and close friend—from both
The European Commission has approved Kyrgyz honey for export to the European Union and added it to the EU’s official import list, according to the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic. The decision confirms that Kyrgyzstan’s control and certification system meets EU standards and opens new market opportunities for local honey producers.
Erdenet Kasymov, Director of the Department of Tourism at Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce, believes that tourism is a sector where regional integration in Central Asia could yield rapid and visible results. He presented a vision for the region as a unified tourism destination, speaking at the second B5+1 Business Forum of Central Asia
On February 4-5, Bishkek is hosting the B5+1 Forum, bringing together officials and business leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States to explore investment opportunities and deepen economic ties, RFE/RL reported. Among the forum’s most visible participants is US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Ambassador Sergio Gor, who told
Amendments to the Family Code, the Law on Civil Status Acts, and the Law on the Protection of Citizens’ Health have been submitted for public discussion in Kyrgyzstan. The bill, published on the parliament’s website, states that a person’s gender is determined exclusively by biological characteristics recorded at birth in the birth certificate, and it
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released a new report, The Eurasian Region and Partner Countries in Asia: Analysis of Investment Flows. The report focuses on mutual investments between 13 countries of the Eurasian region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan) and partner countries in Asia (Afghanistan,
